Hi there, I'm SPIRIT. You might remember me from such BIONICLE fansites as this one, but I'm not here to talk to you today as a Prem Forum Leader/Ref Keeper.

You see, my former youth pastor is going to be running across Canada this summer to raise money for child poverty in Canada. Partnered with World Vision, his goal is to raise one toonie per Canadian [a toonie is our $2 coin for those of you not from the true north strong and free]. There will also be the opportunity to join in the relay at specific dates and places so if you'll be in those places at those times, I encourage you to come join in. (At the very least, it'll give you a chance to get some extra steps on your Pokéwalker )

Here's a few facts about child poverty in Canada:

-Canada scores a “C” grade and ranks 13th out of 17 peer countries.

-More than one in seven Canadian children lives in poverty, with Aboriginal children being hit the hardest.

-Canada’s child poverty rate increased between the mid-1990s and the mid-2000s while the US's, which is still worse than ours, has been decreasing.

-Children who experience poverty, especially persistently, are at higher risk of suffering health problems, developmental delays, and behaviour disorders. They tend to attain lower levels of education and are more likely to live in poverty as adults.

-Canada's child poverty rate of 15 percent is three times as high as the rates of Sweden, Norway or Finland.

-Every month, 770,000 people in Canada use food banks. Forty percent of those relying on food banks are children.

What does this mean?

It means that 1 in 7 children does not sleep in a warm house or with a full stomach and it sure as heck means they don't get LEGO sets for Christmas.

So yeah, here is a link to the site: One Nation Run. If you don't want to donate, that's cool too. Just making sure you're aware. Tell your friends. And if you aren't from Canada, nothing's stopping you from donating or spreading the news. If you'd prefer to help the folks back home, just peruse World Vision's website and see what programs are offered in your country.

Remember, it takes a village.